Roller bearing wedge riveter



NOV. 7, 1933. J c HANNA 1,933,731

ROLLER BEARING WEDGE RIVETER Filed March 29, 1929 hoe/iii John 6 Hanna, MMMWM Patented Nov. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES ROLLER BEARING WEDGE RIVETER John 0. Hanna, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Hanna Engineering Works, Chicago, 111., a corpora tion of Illinois Application March 29, 1929. Serial No. 35l,006

6 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for carrying out various operations such as riveting,

stamping, pressing or punching which comprise relatively movable members and means for developing pressure to force said members together.

More partic1 .trly the present invention has relation to an improved riveter which is designed to carry out a riveting operation more efficiently by the use of cooperating roller wedge means for developing the riveting pressure.

First having reference to a common type of riveter which consists of a fixed jaw and a movable plunger in which the movable jaw is usually actuated by some form of fluid pressure, various means have been proposed to transmit the pressure from the fluid cylinder to the movable member which include suiiicient leverage to attain the high pressure desired for theriveting operation. Such a means has been proposed including various combinations of levers or toggle mechanisms which have been principally used to avoid relatively movable contacting surfaces. It has been recognized that the particular variable pressure which is desired in a riveting operation cannot be developed by the present constructions of pressure-transmitting means.

I have, therefore, proposed a means which consists of a relatively movable cam surface which may be constructed with a varying incline in order to provide initially low increasing pressure which will serve to upset the rivet head followed by a relatively high maintained pressure to crush and emciently complete the riveting operation with a consequent low power consumption.

Generally the cam surface may have a form.

comprising a double incline, as shown in my pending application Serial No. 691,837, filed February 9, 1924, but it will be noted that in my pending application the pressure-transmitting means has been adapted to another type of riveter which generally consists of a pair of fulcrumed jaws. It should also be noted that in my pending application I have provided some form of anti-friction means contacting with the relatively movable cam surfaces and serving to transmit the pressure with an appreciable i'riction loss.

It is the purpose of the present invention to adapt the improved features shown in my prior application to a different type of riveter and together with additional improvements to provide a riveter of simplified design which will have. a higher emciency and durability in use.

Anobjectofmyinvention residesin atype of riveter including a fixed jaw and movable plunger in which the pressure developed in a fluid cylinder is transmitted to the movable plunger through roller wedge mechanism which is enclosed in a housing secured to the fixed jaw member. In such construction the wedge is provided with a double inclined cam surface which 00- operates with roller means secured directly to the movable plunger member and provides the varying pressure above described.

Additional features of my invention include improved mounting of spring means for assisting the return of the movable plunger and maintaining the contact between the wedge and roller means.

Additional objects and advantages of my improvements will be more readily apparent as the invention is more fully described inconnection with a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a vertical elevation partially in sec-, tion. of my improved riveter.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In the drawing 1 indicates a portion of the frame for securing a riveter if it is operated in fixed position. It will be understood that the riveter could, if so desired, be portable or supported bysuspension means. The main body of the riveter comprises a housing 2 which substantially encloses the operating parts. A fixed jaw 3 is secured to the lower end of the housing 2 by means of clamps 4 secured by bolts 5. The jaw 3 is provided with a horizontally extending nc se 6 to which may be secured the fixed lower die. An axially movable plunger 7 is designed to cooperate with the fixed jaw 3 and is provided with a lower reduced end 8 to which may be secured an upper die. It will be noted that the plunger 7 includes a cylindrical portion which is guided for movement by'a bearing portion 9 of the fixed jaw 3. A bushing 10 may be held by the bearing portion 9 and bear against the movable plunger 7. The upper portion of the movable portion '7 includes a relatively rectangular yoke 11 including upstanding arms 12. In openings provided in the upstanding arms 12 is mounted a pin 13. The yoke member 11 is guided for movement by the walls of the housing 2 and may bear against shims 14 which will serve to maintain the pin 13 in place without additional securing means. A roller cage-15 surrounds the pin 13 and serves to retain roller bearing elements 16 in place. In

ings to hold a secondpin 17 secured by'the set screw 18. The pin 17 serves as mounting for a second roller cage member 19 which retains the roller bearing elements 20. To the upstanding ends 12 of the yoke member 11 are secured vertical rods 21 extending above the top of the housing. A removable cap 22 is attached to the top of the housing 2 by means of the bolts 23. The rods 21 extend through the cap 22 guided by bearings 24. Springs 25 surround the upper ends of the rods 24 and are retained in place between the spring washers 26-27. Adjusting nuts 28 are provided at the upper ends of the rods 21 and serve to vary the tension of the springs 25.

It will be apparent that the springs 25 normally urge the plunger member 7 to move in an upward direction. To one side of the housing 2 at its upper end is held a pressure cylinder 29 secured by tie rods 30 extending from a cylinder head 31 to the housing 2. To the outer end of the cylinder head 31 is attached a second return cylinder 32 of smaller diameter than the cylinder 29 held by the tie rods 33 extending from the return cylinder head 34. A piston rod 35 which is guided for movement by said cylinders is attached thereto and has a piston head 36 guided by the cylinder 32 and a piston head 37 which slides in cylinder 29. An adjustable cap 38 maintains in place the packing 39 held between the cap 38 and the piston head 37. The cap 38 may be adjusted by the nut 40 which is screw-threaded to the piston rod 35. Suitable packing 41 may be provided between the cylinders. At the outer end of the piston rod 35 is attached a' wedge 42 which is designed with an upper horizontal surface 43 and a lower cam surface 44. The horizontal surface 43 bears against the upper roller cage 19 while the lower cam surface bears against the lower roller cage 15. Suitable pressure connections may be provided for the piston cylinders 29 and 32 for admitting fluid pressure thereto. A guard 45 may be attached to the housing 2 to cover the protruding end of the wedge member 42.

It is apparent that the admission of fluid pressure to the cylinder 29 will urge the piston 35 together with the wedge member 42 to the left, as shown in Figure 1. The contact between the cam surface 44 and the roller 15 will urge the plunger 7 to move vertically downward in order to develop pressure upon the rivet head. Upon the completion of the riveting operation, fluid pressure is admitted to return cylinder 32 which it is apparent does not need to have so large a diameter as the cylinder 29 in order to move the wedge member to the right and allow the plunger member 7 to rise due to the pressure of the springs 25.

It is apparent that the provision of the roller bearing elements 16 and 20 will reduce the friction between the movable parts and thereby transmit the pressure without an appreciable friction loss.

As previously mentioned in the statement of my invention, it is desired that the cam surface which operates with the roller should have such a design that the initial pressure upon the rivet head will be relatively low and rapidly increase to the maximum crushing pressure which is maintained during the latter part of the movement of the plunger. It should, therefore, be noted that the wedge member 42 is provided with a relatively sharp incline 46 which initially engages the roller 15 and causes a rapid movement of the plunger 7, whereas a relatively low inclined portion 47 of the wedge member 42 will cause very little movement of the plunger head 47 and maintain the maximum pressure during crushing of the rivet head.

The design of the cam surface of the movable wedge has a material advantage in that maximum efficiency in operation and power consumption may be attained by a relatively low total weight in construction since it is evident that the wedge would require a longer travel if it had a uniform incline.

It is to be understood that a preferred specific embodiment of my invention has been described and modifications and changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the type described, a fixed housing, a jaw rigid with said housing, a plunger guided for axial movement by said housing, a roller carried by said plunger within said housing, a wedge member axially movable transverse to the axis of movement of said plunger and extending through said housing, said wedge member having a cam surface adapted to engage said roller and impart movement to said plunger, rods secured to said plunger and extending outside of said housing and springs held between the outer ends of said rods and said housings adapted to maintain the contact between said wedge and said roller.

2. In a machine of the type described, a housing, a fixed jaw member rigid with said housing, a plunger guided for axial movement by said housing and comprising a yoke portion, a transverse pin held by said yoke, a roller cage surrounding said pin, roller bearing elements held between said roller cage and said pin and a wedge member having movement on an axis transverse to the axis of movement of said plunger, said wedge member having a cam surface designed to engage said roller cage and impart movement to said plunger.

3. In a riveter, a fixed jaw and a movable plunger, means for imparting movement to said plunger, said means including a movable wedge member having an upper horizontal surface and a lower irregular cam surface, roller means cooperating with both of said surfaces, each of said roller means comprising a supporting pin, a rotatable roller cage and roller bearing elements supported between said pin and said cage, the roller means which cooperates with said irregular cam surface being secured to move with said plunger member.

4. In a riveting machine, a frame, a housing rigid with said frame, a reciprocable riveting plunger extending through a wall of said housing, said housing forming a guide bearing for said plunger, said plunger having a yoke-shaped end movable within said housing, a pin carried by said yoke-shaped end and retained against displacement by the side walls of said housing, a roller member rotatably supported by said pin between the sides ofsaid yoke-shaped end, a second pin carried by the side walls of said housing parallel to said first pin, a second roller member rotatably supported by said second pin and a wedge member movable transverse to the axis of movement of said plunger and extending into said housing, said wedge having a cam surface for engaging said first roller and a flat surface for engaging said second roller and means for moving said wedge member in opposite directions.

5. In a riveting machine, a frame, a housing rigid with said frame, a reciprocable riveting plunger extending into said housing, said housing forming a guide bearing for said plunger, said plunger having a yoke-shaped end within said housing, a roller rotatably carried by said yokeshaped end, a second roller rotatably supported by said housing, a reciprocable wedge member movable transverse to the axis of movement of said plunger and extending into said housing, said wedge member having a cam surface for engaging said first roller and a flat surface for engaging said second roller, means for imparting movement to said wedge member in opposite. directions and resilient means reacting between said housing and said plunger for normally ho1ding the roller supported thereby in engagement with the cam surface of said wedge member.

6. In a riveting machine, a frame, a housing rigid with said frame, a reciprocable riveting plunger extending into said housing, said housing forming a guide bearing for said plunger, said plunger having a yoke-shaped end within said housing, a roller rotatably carried by said yoke-shaped end, a second roller supported within said housing, a reciprocable wedge member movable substantially transverse to the axis of movement of said plunger and extending into said housing, said wedge member having a cam surface for engaging one of said rollers and a flat surface for engaging the other of said rollers, means for imparting movement to said wedge member in a direction to separate said rollers and to produce a working stroke of said plunger and resilient means reacting between said housing and said plunger for normally holding the roller supported thereby in engagement with the cooperating surface of said wedge member.

' JOHN C. HANNA. 

